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Jade and Gabe – Raising funds to show those that are bullied to see that they are not alone and that they have so many people by their side for support

Posted: 10/9/2015

Jade Schmeling, left, and her cousin Gabe Nelson have hosted Spook City in the Woods, the annual fundraiser to fight bullying, for the past three years.Photo from Stewartville Star

Event: A haunted pathway through the woodsDates: Friday and Saturday,October 16 – 17, 2015Location: Racine, MNCost: A free-will donation to support bullying prevention

Three years ago, Jade and Gabe founded Spook City in the Woods, a haunted pathway that leads guest through a forest filled with witches, zombies and more! Held in Racine, Minnesota, this event has been a huge success, raising over $1,500 in 2014. Spook City supports bullying prevention, as the cost to visit this frightening forest is a free-will donation to PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center.

“The exact details to how we thought of this type of creative fundraiser is a little blurry,” say Jade. “But, Gabe and I both knew exactly where we wanted our fundraised money to end up. And that was in the hands of PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center. The topic of bullying hits home for us, as we’ve both been tremendously impacted with this current issue. Gabe has personally been attacked by the harsh effects of bullying and has firsthand experience with this awful issue. In my 7th grade year, 2012, one of my previous classmates decided to leave us because of the horrid effects of bullying. Gabe and I, we understand the pain. We understand the loss. We understand that bullying is not to be taken lightly. We want to make a difference in the world, and to stand up for what we believe in. We have come so far since our first year in 2012. We are so ever grateful for how much support we have received. Our journey with Spook City is only just beginning!”